Singapore launched its first drone delivery service on April 19, with a parcel of vitamins dropped onto a ship anchored off the island.
The service was established via a partnership between Eastern Pacific Shipping and local startup F-drones, whose unmanned aircraft can carry up to 5 kilograms (11 pounds) and travel up to 5 kilometers (3.10 miles).
F-drone’s Nicolas Ang said the service reduces unnecessary human contact—an important consideration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
F-drones said it will build a bigger drone that will be able to transport heavier items across longer distances.
Trips take less than 15 minutes on average, offering a greener and faster way of transferring supplies in busy ports.
Diesel-powered launch boats are currently used for such deliveries, of which there can be more than 100 a day in Singapore.
It can take more than two hours for the boats to make trips of a similar distance, including going through the logistical processes. Choppy seas can also cause delays.
And while the adoption of drone deliveries over land has been slowed by various obstacles globally, few of these factors affect deliveries over sea to ships, said the firm’s co-founder and chief executive Nicolas Ang. “People in cities may not like drones flying over their heads because of the noise, for example, but that’s not an issue when flying over water.”
Source: Straits Times
